Cumin-Dusted Pan Seared Duck Breast with a Tart Cherry Cabernet Gastrique

Cumin-Dusted Pan Seared Duck Breast with a Tart Cherry Cabernet Gastrique

(Serves 4)

Duck Ingredients:

4 duck breasts (4 oz. each)

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 cup Cabernet (reduced by half)

Tart Cherry Cabernet Gastrique (recipe below)

Parsnip Purée (recipe below)

Duck Directions:

1. Rub the cumin into the duck breasts.
2. Sear the breasts in a hot oven-safe skillet for 1-1 ½ minutes on each side.
3. Place the skillet in a preheated 400F oven.
4. Cook 10 minutes for each inch of thickness.

Tart Cherry Cabernet Gastrique Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. fructose

1 Tbsp. water

1 cup tart cherries, pitted

2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch slurry

Tart Cherry Cabernet Gastrique Directions:

1. In a saucepot start reducing the wine by half.
2. In a small sauté pan, add the fructose and water together and caramelize.
3. After the wine has been reduced by half, add the cherries and vinegar and bring back to a boil.
4. Slowly add the wine and cherries to the caramelized fructose, stirring constantly.
5. Bring back to temperature and thicken with the slurry.

Purée Ingredients:

2 parsnips, peeled & chopped

5 cloves roasted garlic cloves

1 cup water

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Purée Directions:

1. Steam the parsnips until soft.
2. Roast the garlic on a baking sheets with the olive oil and water in a 350° F oven until soft (approximately 10 minutes).
3. Mix the garlic with parsnips and purée through a food mill.

Grilled Eggplant Rolls

Grilled Eggplant Rolls

(Serves 6)

Ingredients for Grilled Eggplant Rolls:
2 large Eggplants, peeled & sliced 1/2" thick lengthwise
2 medium Red bell peppers, julienne
1 medium Red onion, julienne
1 Cup Carrots, julienne
1/2 Cup Portabello mushrooms, julienne
1 tsp. Garlic, minced
8 oz. Fresh spinach
2 Cup Marinara sauce
6 oz. Mozzarella cheese substitute (such as soy kaas)
Olive oil
To taste Salt & pepper

Directions for prep:

1. Lightly spray eggplant with olive oil. Place on hot broiler until eggplant is soft enough to roll without tearing.
2. Sauté the mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until just tender.
3. Add spinach. Take off heat and place in mixing bowl.
4. Toss in 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta sauce and shredded soy cheese.
5. Place some of mixture on each eggplant slice and roll.

Directions for cooking:

1. Place eggplant rolls in lightly oiled sauté pan. Top with marinara sauce and small amount of shredded cheese.
2. Bake in oven until hot through.

Recipe nutrient analysis, single serving
Calories: 180  
Net carbs: 18g
Protein: 11g
Fat: 7g
Fiber: 5g   

Fire Grilled Beef Sirloin Oscar

Fire Grilled Beef Sirloin Oscar

(Serves 4)

Ingredients for Beef:
1 lb. beef sirloin, 4 ounces per portion
4 tsp. blue crab meat, backfin
½ cup mock hollandaise (see recipe below)
16 each asparagus spears, index finger length
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup mashed potatoes
To taste salt & pepper
2 tsp. olive oil

Ingredients for Mock Hollandaise:
4 oz. soft tofu
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Pinch crumbled saffron
Pinch kosher salt
Dash Tabasco
1 large egg yolk
To taste butter flavor (liquid)

Directions:

1. Cream egg yolk in small mixing bowl over a double boiler (sauce pot filled with steaming water).
2. Place tofu, lemon juice, saffron, salt, Tabasco and butter flavor into a food processor and puree until smooth. Serve warm.
3. Pre-heat grill on high heat. Lightly season sirloin on both sides with salt & pepper; coat lightly with olive oil.
4. Toss asparagus spears in olive oil and lemon zest, coating lightly.
5. Grill sirloin steaks to desired doneness and lightly grill asparagus spears until they begin to soften slightly.
6. Crisscross asparagus spears on top of the mashed potatoes, then place beef on top of the asparagus, top with crabmeat and ladle hollandaise sauce over the top. Garnish with a pinch of fresh lemon zest.

Recipe Nutrient Analysis (per serving):
Calories: 339
Carbs: 13g
Protein: 27g
Fat: 20g
Fiber: 2g

Trout Baked in Yellow Corn Husks

Trout Baked in Yellow Corn Husks

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 Idaho trout filets (8 oz. each)

8 tsp. fresh herb rub (recipe below)

8 slices lemon

8 slices roma tomato

4 sprigs fresh thyme

4 squeezes fresh lemon juice

Dash kosher salt

8 corn husks

Directions

1. Soak the corn husks in water to hydrate.
2. Cut each 8 oz. trout filet in half making four 4-ounce servings.
3. Squeeze a small amount of lemon juice onto the trout; add a small sprinkle of salt over each serving.
4. Brush the trout with the herb rub.
5. Top the trout with alternating slices of lemon and tomato; top each serving with a sprig of thyme.
6. Carefully flip the trout over onto the corn husks so that the tomato/lemon/thyme are lying on the husk.
7. Fold the husk over so that the trout is completely sealed inside; cover with a damp towel and reserve for service.
8. To finish, bake for 6-7 minutes in a 400° oven.

Herb Rub Ingredients:

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

½ cup fresh oregano, chopped

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ cup fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tbsp. mustard seed

Pinch cayenne

Pinch salt

Pinch pepper

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

4 Tbsp. olive oil

Herb Rub Directions:

1. Mix the dry ingredients.
2. Mix the wet ingredients.
3. Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients together.

Chilled Watermelon Cilantro Soup

Chilled Watermelon Cilantro Soup

Ingredients:
6 ½ Cup Seedless watermelon, peeled
1 ¼ Cup Unsweetened apple juice
¼ Cup Fresh cilantro, minced
½ Cup Coconut milk
1 tsp. Agave syrup
2 tsp. Cornstarch

Directions:

1. Bring 1 Cup apple juice to a rolling boil.
2. Add corn starch to ¼ C cold apple juice till smooth and creamy (no lumps).
3. Whisk in corn starch slurry to boiling apple juice (apple juice will become very thick).
4. Chill to below 40 degrees.
5. Purée watermelon, pour into strainer and use a rubber spatula to press the pulp through (discard small seeds that will be left).
6. Place all ingredients in blender and mix well.

Hint: fine mince 1 fresh seeded jalapeno, sprinkle on top of soup for garnish.

Recipe Nutrient Analysis, Single Serving:
Calories: 103
Protein: 1g                    
Fat: 4g
Fiber: 1g

Chocolate-Chile Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Chocolate- Chile Pumpkin Seed Pesto

½ Cup Pumpkin seeds
4–5 cloves fresh garlic
1 tsp. Paprika
2 tsp. Chile powder
2 tsp. Cocoa powder
1 tsp. Coriander
2 tsp. Chopped cilantro
1 ½ tsp. Agave
Olive oil (enough to reach the consistency you desire)
Salt to taste

Directions:
Mix well in a food processor until reaches desired consistency.

Shrimp Diablo

Shrimp Diablo 

Ingredients:
16 each Jumbo Shrimp
1 cup Roma Tomatoes, seeded and diced small
2 tsp Garlic, minced
2 tsp Shallots, minced
4 tsp Cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Bring Pure Olive Oil to smoke point
2. Add Shrimp. Sauté 2 minutes and turn.
3. Add Diced Tomatoes. Sauté 1 minute.
4. Add Minced Garlic and Shallots. Sweat 1 minute.
5. Add 1 cup Seasoned White Wine (recipe below). Reduce until thickened
6. Place Millet Polenta Cake on plate (recipe below). Point side towards middle of plate.
7. Arrange Shrimp layered and tail up.
8. Pour Sauce on Shrimp.

Seasoned White Wine Ingredients:
1 cup White Wine
2 T Paprika
2 tsp Chile Powder
2 tsp Chipotle with Adobo, chopped
3/4 tsp Salt

Directions:

Place ingredients in blender and blend well.

Millet Polenta Cake Ingredients:
3 T Cooked Millet (1 ½ T Millet, 3 T Boiling Water)
3 T Yellow Onion, diced
1/2 tsp Garlic, minced
Pinch Salt
2 oz Polenta Cornmeal
6 oz Water
1 1/2 T Smoked Gouda, ¼ Inch Diced

Directions:

1. Pour Boiling Water on Millet. Let set until cooled (pour off excess water).
2. Bring Water, Onions, Garlic and Salt to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
3. Wisk in Polenta (make sure it does not lump).
4. Cook 5 minutes.
5. Add Gouda. Mix until dissolved.
6. Add Cooked Millet.
7. Spread on silpat in 1/2" thick rectangle and cool.
8. Cut rectangle in half.
9. Cut squares diagonally into triangles (sauté or place on grill to lightly char).
10. Enjoy!

Sparkling Melon Gazpacho

Sparkling Melon Gazpacho

Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 Melon Cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 Melon Honeydew Melon, peeled, seeded and chopped
¼ Cup Perrier or Other Sparkling Water
1 Tbsp. Fresh Mint, minced
¼ Cup Fresh Pineapple, minced (optional garnish)
¼ Cup Fresh Strawberries, minced (optional garnish)
¼ Cup Red Grapes, whole (optional garnish)
¼ Cup Fresh Blueberries (optional garnish)

Directions:

• Chop melons into large chunks. Place in blender with mint and sparkling water.
• Puree until smooth.
• Add minced and whole fruit.
• Chill and serve.

Tip: For a fancier presentation, puree each melon separately with half of the sparkling water and mint. Place in two separate containers.  After chilling, pour both colors into a frozen martini glass at the same time for two separate colors. Garnish with fresh mint and sorbet.

Recipe Nutrient Analysis, Single Serving: 50 calories, 13g carbohydrate, trace protein, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 25mg sodium, 1g fiber